Dehydrating or drying apparatus.



G. F. HUMPHREY.

DEHYDRATING OR DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-20.1916.

1,225,634. I Patented May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

G. F. HUMPHREY. DEHYDRATING 0R DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20, 1916- Patented May 8, 1917.

wwwov G F Fa mpinqy.

50" igs .1

posis.-sueh as the dryingof flowers and foliage; i

v by :whieh air is led either through the heat in:mud-drying ehambers of eaeh'umt in s i tlji'gflll'flllflll one lieatiugg'- ehamber and ot the) (laying chambers ,only "while the otheriisbeing'ureharged T l invention also eomprises the arrangement of-eomn-ioninlet and outlet ducts for at pliuialitfw of units or pairs of v (lryin'g ehambers whereby the air'iS led to and from thquriits in p .-1rallel. i

The invention further 40 hereinafter referred to. w

j In the drawings,

Figuresl is a seetional one form of a]' p.-1ratus, and v v is a front elevation corresponding comprises details side elevation of Fig. 2 theretoa Fig. 3 is plan on a smaller Fig; 4 isa seetional side elev othenformofa'pparatus;

V In the form of apparatus illustratedffin and 2,.wl-1erein one unit is shown, :oaeli unit :eomprises, a; pair of drying eham bers' 'uitb,arranged baeh to bark; Iaeh dryingehamber hasa door 1' in front. preferablyone adapted to slide yertiealiv behveen uprightsolqjambs (hand being balanced by seale.

atiou oi au- FREDVYERICK' iIUIvLPHR'EYf F LONDON, ENGLAND.

=' EGEmBLE CO PAN "LIMITEDfOF adopted mng long'itiulinal is supplied to the somewhat diagrammatii the duet being toany" ttlie'wall I Openings sf suitable means, s1 -I-, enable. the

neeted to either Ol' ranged above the the air outle trolled by suitable mean d isrhargres througlr steam radiators Sand (3 areoperated From the k1 wn in theart I ASSIGNOR T0 ALLIANCE LONDON; ENGLAND.

Patented May 1917.

weights 1'. eonneeted to the doors by eables A: running over pulleys f. as eomnionly with a. eertaiu type oi window The -ehainbers (lg/1fareniounted on a brick base /Q in losing two duets. one 11. an inlet duct. and theother 1'. :inoutlet duet. runly ol' the apparatus. Air inlet duet /i-. by'a'uy suit able means, for instance in a large plant comprising! a number of units. as indieated "ally in Fig.3. a ted to earh end-of the duct k, i, divided by a wall 222/. in the l middle. The outlet duet is similarly -(li- ,vided hya walla. and has a dist-barge duet 0 leading to the atmosphere. heating ehamber p, separated from the tan Zis eon'nee "duets l1 and i by \Vtllls r]. 7f, is situated beneath, eaelr pair of drying ehambers n, 7). Me or more openings 3-1 are provided in I. eontrolled buany ieh as sliding dampers a. heating: ehaiuber p, to be eon otthe dr \f"iu; rhambers a beating ehamber r is arehamhers a and I), and has ai. eontrollekl by any. suitable as sliding): dampers y,

l). seeond .80 openings 11', means Esueh opening 3:?

an eonneets the chamber. 7). with t duet i. the opening being (ons-sueh as by a slidg either or both, of

' theehamliers' r. to be put into connection with the Chamber 1". Directly above: the

iseharge opening 2. which a dlseharge main or fine atmosphere; Means for controlling areprovided. such as 21 opening uis a d 3 to the the opening damper 4.

The heating chambers 1), r. are provided with any suitable form-of ll ttltlllfl device. being' indieated the radiators. being: etmneeted with a steam supply main 7 ;by pipes S and 9 and with a return main 10 by pipes 11 and 12. 'Valyes' l3. lipid)? rontrolling the supply of steam outside by handles l5, l6. lrays l7. haying"perl'oratml. gauze or network bottoms are shown at; T in the partially brolgen away portion as are well and need no further de seriptiou. are suitably supported as by angle irons or runners 1R. fixed to the side walls lfi fi'i j-tllt drying ehamlmrs a and 1,- the trays being" slid into and out of position 110 flector 'by a deflector or ballle 6, being re-heated thereby so that it is ready' -to close the openings 5 ulu-n the doors 0, 1' are opened. Movable frames 21. '22. are providedin the chambers u and 7), the frames being forinstance pivoted on trunnions 21. In the normal position, namely \vhen'both-drying chambers a and b,

tions indicated in Fig. 1, their upper ends resting against stops 25, '28, When either chamber a or V1) is being emptied or recharged the frame 21,, or 22, of the other chamber is moved about its pivots or trunnions so that it occupies a position with;

stops 27 or 28. In whatever position the frames are set, theone end resting against trays are set with their adjacent arners in contact therewith. are ranged 'or set'to-leave tapering spaces 30, 31, for conducting the air from the respective inlet openings 8, t, or w, to the trays, which are spaced apart to allow the air to pass between all the-trays to dry the vegetable or other material thereon.

Assuming the trays in both chambers a, Z), to be charged with shredded vegetable or other food stufl? to be dried, the frames'21,

22, are set as indicated in Fig. 1, and the,

dampers u, y, z and 33 are ihoved to expose the respective openings 8, w, wand 32, whereas the dampers & and -v are moved to close their respective openings 2 and t. Air then passes as indicated by the variousarrows, from the inlet ducth, through the opening 3-L into the heatingchamber p, being directed overthe radiator 5, by a de-' 3:"), so that it is heated there y, and then passes through the opening a, into'the tapering space 30, and is distributed between and among all the trays 17 and drying the material thereon. The 'moist air then escapes through theopening w,,into the heating chamber 1), wherein it is directed 36 over the radiator to take up more moisture. The, reheated air passes through the opening m into the tapering space 31 and isdistributed between and among thetrays 17 in the chamber 7), drying the material thereon and escaping tln'oughthe opening 32 into'the outlet duct and thence to the discharge duct 0 to the effected by pushing inwa dly the upper trays,

..u that they force the frame against the are in use as hereinafter explained, the frames 21, 22, occupy the posi-f In this way the trays in the chamber b,

but is distributed in paralthe others being stop 28f The hot air from the heating chamber-p then passes throu h .the opening t, directly-into the drying c amber b, and thence to the duct 2'. If'the chamber b is to .be emptied andrecharged .then the dampers 1) and 33 aremoved to close the openings tanrl 32, and the dampers u and 3/ and 4. are movedito uncover the openings 8, w and 12, so that thehot air from the chamber 12, passes through the chamber a only, and es-. 2. It is thus, irected through I capes-through the openin clearthat the air may be I the heating chambers. and drying chambers in series'orthroughaone heating chamber and either drying chamber.

By arranging a-number of'chambersa, b,

back to back they are easily accessible, and

by also providin the ineansfor altering the course of the air as, above described, the

chambers may be systemmatically charged,

emptied and recharged without stopping operations.

-Formaturingfruit it is desirable topasst. v the air up through the trays in series inz stead of assing it through or between them in panel el. A modification ,for this -p'ur pose is illustrated in Fig. 4. Inthis' figure characters corresponding to Figs; 1 and 2. In this form of, e apparatus a valve chest 41 is arranged above the heating chamber q) and is fitted with threevalves ordampers 38,- 39 and40. The valve 38 controls the pp y to the chest 41. The valve 39'.cont rols sup ly-of air from the chest 41 to.'the space -i3- of air from the heating chamber p the similar parts-areindicatedby reference low' the'tr'aysl'l in the chamber a,

which trays are setup against apartition 44.

The valve 40 controls the supply of air from the chest4 1 to a by-puss 46 which leads the w leading to the space against a fixed partition 45. a i

When the air is to pass from the inlet :iosl ,air to the. damper a controlling the'ope ning 4:7 above the trays 17 i which traysare set up I duct hin series through the heating cham.- j

beif p, drying chamber a, o, drying chamber b, let duct 41, the-valves or dampers 38, 39, y, z, and 33 are opened, the others beingclosed. If the air is to pass only her a, the valves or dampers 3S, areopened the others being closed. air isto puss 'only then the valves 38,

heating chamber 40, z and 33 are opened closed. As beforc' stated sliding dampers may be used, such as for instance dampers of the sliding louver type, and any usual means may be employed for operating them but as these. are well known in the' art given.

1. Apparatus for dehydrating food stufis, comprising a pair of drying chambers, ar-

and thence to the outno further description need be.

roo

11s, through the cham- 39, yand i If the through the rhumberb,

ranged back to back, nearing chambers above air maybe directedthroughbut one chamber 60 and below said drying chambers, said heator directed throu h the said latter chamber' ing chambers having heaters therein and and subsequentlyfl'leated and passed through commluiicating witli both of "said dr \'ing the other-chamber.

5 chambers, an air inlet-duct comml'micating Apparatus for dehydrating foodstuffs, v with the lower of'said heating chambers, air comprising a number-of units each having 65; outlet ducts communicating with said drying two drying chambers arranged back to back, chambers, and means for opening and closand two heating chambers, an air inlet duct, jug-the comnnmications between the said and air outlet ductsfineans for connecting heating chambers and said drying chambers, said units to said d ucts's'o that the air passes whereby air is led either through the heatfrom the said 'inlet duct in parallelthrough 70 in, and" drying chambers in series, or the units to one of .the. outlet ducts,-- and through one heating, chamber and either. of means whereby the, air may be directed in the'drying, chambers only whiletlw other each unit either through the two heating dryinw chamber is being recharge l. -.J chambers'aiul two drying chambers in series,

1 pparatusfor' dehydrating fbod' stuffs, or through one heating chamber and either 75 con'iprisinga number of unitseach consisting of the drying chambers;"substantially asand of'a pair of drying chambers arrangedback forthe purpose hercinbefore set forth. to back, and heating .-hambcrs below and '6. I Apparatus for dehydrating food studs,

above said dryingclnunbers an air inlct comprising a number of units each having duct common to all of the lower heating two drying chainbers arranged back to back, 80 chambers and airoutlct dlu-ts'cmnmon to all and two heating clnunbers; anair inlet duct,

of the units, and-means for directing the air and'air outlet guc-ts, meanslfor connecting from; iid common. air inlct'd'uct through the Y aid units to' said ducts so that the air passes heating chambers and -,.di,' ving chambers. o-t' from the said inlet-duct in parallelthrough .e'ac l1-u11it, in seriesjto one-o-ftlie coinmon air the units, to he of the outletmlucts, and 85( foutlc't ducts. and means ftm changing the means wbcreb" theair may be directed in course of theair and for (lirccting itt-h-rough *ach unit citier through the two heating .one heating chamber and cithcigot' the dry-. chambers and'two drying chambers in series,

ing chambers of a an ml iiiwhcn the other or through :g ihc heating chamber-and either h.-ying chamber of said i unit is being reof the devihg chambersfthe aforesaid air 90 charged I j i h r inlct duct ljaving'a central.partitiongand a 3. \,pparatus for dchlvdratin-g food stutl's;v t'an at cacti end of said air inletduet .'s ubof unitsfcach consiststantially and for the purposes hereinbe comprising a numbe 1ngj'ot' a' pair of d1 a}: chambersarranged fore set forth.-

back to back, a partition separating said 7. Apparatus foudehydrating foodstuffs, 95

. v chambers, beating chambers below and above comprisiyiga number of units; each consistsaid drying chambirs. an air inlet duct com mg .of a! panot (ll' \'ll1{ 1' chambers arranged mon totho units, an outlet duct commont-o back to; back. a heating chamber for each 40"th-e units; means for controlling the comdryhigji'bambcr. tlll(l :l(ljil.('(llt thereto, steanr' n'ulnication between the said ducts. drying radiatprs in said heating cl1: nnbers,' an air 100.

chambers and heating clnunbers..trays' withinlet uct.' and air outlet ducts, the adjacent 'in the drying chambers, and mcanstm"posiwalls"ot' the heating chambers and. dry ng tioning the trays whcridiy a tapered air space chan bers lnlvingopcnings for effecting interis lcft bctwctai the aforesaidpartition and com nunication therewith. dampers for conthe adjacent ends ot'thc trays. substantially tro ing said openings. means for effecting 105 as and. for the plll'])()S(-lltl'tllllnffllt set conununication'bct'wccn theai-r inlet duct forth. and one oi said heating chambers ot each. 4. An apparatus for dch '\'dratine food unit. and means for ctl'cctlngcommunication stufis. comprisinga number of units. each bctwccn 3 12 -ot' each having two drying chambersarranged back .unit and the outlet ductJsubstantially as and 110 tit back. .an air inlct duct. and HlF'OHiZlCt tor the purpose hcrcinbe-t'ore set forth.

ductgnl'cans for-heating the air bel'orcentcr in testimonh' whereof ha \'c sngned m ing the'chanilie *qcans for hcatingiihe air ameto th sspecification in the presence ot at the outlet of one oi said' tcllilllllflls, means 't \'o subscributg witnesses.

for connecting said uuitslosaid ducts so v GEL RGE FREDERIGK llUMlllltEY. that the air passes From the said inlet duct )Vit-nhsscsgl I inparallcl througlrthe unitslo one of the A, 7. 1\ ).\TYS,

outlet ducts, and meanswhereby the heated H. Mxrurs, i 

